The word snazzy may not be a definition you use too often when referencing sewing, but I think this fun-sounding word describes this creative stitching option. When developing the Sewing With Nancy series on how to create covers for electronic tablets or low-tech paper tablets, it was exciting to see how a small amount of stitching or a creative use of fabric could create a stylish cover. The first of the 2-part series, Sew Techie Covers, is this week’s featured video on Sewing With Nancy’s Online Video Site. Click here to watch the video. The show is also available to all PBS stations.

In this first episode you’ll learn these three easy stitching techniques:

E-appliqué tips

How to Stitch Techie Circles

Undercover Stitching accents

These snazzy stitching techniques are all great ways of personalizing a cover for your iPad, original Kindle, Nook, Kindle Fire, iPad Mini or any other tablet. Just click and watch!

Choose a Tablet Keeper Template

To create these functional, yet fashionable tablet covers, use Clover’s E-Tablet & Paper Tablet Keeper Templates. There are two template offerings. Why you may ask? Good question: After designing and bringing the first template to market, more electronic tablets with different sizes were introduced. So, a second tablet keeper was needed.

I know that not all of you clicked to watch the video . . . sigh. To give you an idea of what you may be missing, here are the highlights of one of the three easy stitching techniques, Undercover Stitching (otherwise known as bobbin work).

Back the fabric with interfacing, and add a second stabilizer and length of interfacing in the stitching area. Then, mark the stitching line on the wrong side of the fabric.

Choose a nonsatin, decorative stitch. An outline or open stitch is best suited for bobbin work. Lengthen the stitch for best results. Test the stitch on sample fabric.

Check the look of the stitch on the right side. My test stitch had a few hiccups! So, I adjusted the settings, lengthening the stitch. It doesn’t always go perfectly for me either!

Helpful Hint! Some machines handle heavier thread in the bobbin if you bypass the bobbin case tension. In short, don’t pass the thread through the bobbin case tension guide.

Also, test a variety of stitch settings, lengthening/shortening or narrowing/widening the stitch length and/or width. A straight stitch is also ideal! A narrower stitch width setting was used for the strap.

Not sure what I would do, but it would definitely be decorated to make it mine

Jeanne KMay 27, 2014

Thanks, Nancy, for the great pattern, tutorial, and helpful comments. I love batiks and would make a very colorful cover and add lots of texture with fancy yarns, cording, ribbons, and a splash of beads and bling.

Barbara PalmatierMay 26, 2014

I like the tip about putting the fancy /thicker thread in the bobbin and turning it over to sew.. I wish I had that sewing pattern on my machine. It really is pretty and sets it off.

allen kingMay 23, 2014

I would make a faux leather one for my husband’s I Pad – perhaps with motorcycles or gear designs on it. Love all your tutorials and tips!

Patty FosterMay 23, 2014

I need to design a cover for my Nook. Since my passion is reading, maybe books or words. So many options.

Jan S.May 23, 2014

I love your tablet cover ideas. I recently purchased an Apple I-Pad Mini with Retina Display and did not see a layout plan for this size in the Trace n Create Templates. Also, is there an “opening/viewing spot” to cut away for the camera lens area on these templates? Thanks for these great programs.

Pat ScullMay 22, 2014

I have a computer bag I made with a very bright print from Laurel Burch, and I would love to make one to match for my tablet. Would be fun!

StellaMay 22, 2014

Hi Nancy, Both of my daughters recently bought iPads and their birthdays are coming up so these would make great gifts for them! I have the Circle Sew Simple attachment that I can use on one. You demonstrate the bobbin work technique so clearly that I would like to use that technique on the other one. I think I need to get another bobbin case for my machine though, I have an older machine so hopefully that will be possible.
I have thoroughly enjoyed and learned so much from watching your shows on tv and now your blog. Thank you for sharing so much with us!

StarlaMay 22, 2014

I’d have to do stars, of course

Karen DavisMay 22, 2014

I would love to make an iPad cover for work that includes a place for a notepad beside the tablet. I can just see some couching over eyelash yarns on the tablet cover. Another project to add to the list!

LynnMay 22, 2014

A good time to create an original piece of fabric with some of the fancy stitches on my machine.

Frances PowellMay 22, 2014

Since my greatest blessings are my grandchildren, I would write Mimi’s Blessings and then list their names.

LeandaMay 22, 2014

I have just done my first “Piece in the hoop” design and would like to use this on the front and highlight with bobbin work. I want to do one in masculine colours for my son and the bobbin work could make it look more like a “leather style” cover with chunky stitching. Thanks for giving me the inspiration and the opportunity to win the book. Would be beyond excited to get my hands on it!

LillyMay 22, 2014

I would use lace or ric rac and some applique since I can’t do embroidery on my machine.

Susan BurnsMay 22, 2014

Since I am also obsessed with your new circle maker, I would add some circles to the tablet cover. I am also OWL obsessed, so each circle would have to have an embroidered OWL in it!

Ethel AhrendtMay 22, 2014

What is the green fabric you used? It looks like some sort of suede.

Nancy ZiemanMay 22, 2014

Hi Ethel, I used a faux suede upholstery fabric.

Ethel AhrendtMay 22, 2014

Nancy,
You’re the best! God bless you for all you do. Someday I’m going to try this bobbin work. It’s beautiful. Love the green colors.

ZaidaMay 22, 2014

I like the idea of a crazy patch cover, but it seems to me that I might try some of my other quilt block ideas for a cover as well.

TinaMay 22, 2014

Wow, so cute. Seems like it doesn’t take too much to make the cover stand out. I would love to try these ideas.

Mary SMay 22, 2014

It would be interesting to try the bobbin work since I purchased an extra bobbin case years ago, but that does not fit my embroidery machine I can still try it with the limited designs on the older machine. What fun!

BrendaKMay 22, 2014

You are such a great inspiration Nancy. I would add a monogram to the cover.

WendyMay 22, 2014

I would like to work on this technique. It’s always a challenge to try something new. Since I have some sport fans in the family, I think I would try and incorporate sport emblems into my design.

Sandra NettlesMay 22, 2014

Are there recommendations to help protect the edges of an IPad. I have dropped mine twice with the cover that protects the glass and once the edge that hit the brick floor separated and I had to replace the IPad. Yesterday I dropped the new one, so I want to get rid of the magnetic cover and make something more protective, that would still allow me to read the screen.

Pat O.May 22, 2014

I can’t wait to try these, Nancy. Everyone in the family has their own device and will likely get an individually designed cover!

CarolMay 22, 2014

Just got a tablet……………would love to make a personal cover for it!

Dorothy MurrayMay 22, 2014

I love the idea of making a cover for my Kindle. I would add a design that had flowers and butterflies adding possibly some sequins to imbellish the butterfly wings. Thank you for an opportunity to win your books! You are very gracious!

DellMay 22, 2014

This is beautiful. I also like to use machine appliqué for embellishment.

Brenda AignerMay 22, 2014

Would love to have this pattern to make some Christmas presents this summer instead of at the last minute.

I absolutely love this ~ they are so beautiful! Would look great on my kindle paperwhite. Thanks Nancy for all the great tips.

Carol HydemanMay 22, 2014

This is very timely for me. I want to make a cover for my iPad mini. I have a spool of lovely thread that will produce lovely “snazzy” decorative accents too. Time to order the templates and have fun. The video, as always, is clear and very helpful. Thanks, Nancy!

Candy SMay 22, 2014

I fell in love with the Dresden Plate pattern when I saw it at Sewing Weekend. I have to try that one. The bobbin work is a technique I’ve been dying to try, too.

I love to bling things up.. I would use a rhinestone design and make it shine..

Jeanne GoldMay 22, 2014

A favorite technique I’ve used to make book covers would work nicely here as well. I start with a base of muslin or other lightweight fabric and iron on a very light weight double-sided fusible. I then iron on scraps of fabric, overlapping each piece about an 1/8″. When the surface is covered entirely, I use a combination of decorative stitches and couching with yarns, heavy weight threads, ribbons, etc, to cover each overlap. The result is much like a crazy quilt. The best part is that I never know what the results is going to be and it’s always unique, fun, surprising and lets me try out new techniques and use up scraps.

Jeanne GoldMay 22, 2014

One of my favorite techniques involves using scraps to build a collage and then embellish with different threads/yarns and various stitches. The result is akin to a crazy quilt. Each one is different and unique because I don’t plan them. I’ve done this with notebook covers and it would be easy to do here as well.

SuzieqtouMay 22, 2014

I just got an embroidery machine….so I would embroidery with a bird & flowers and maybe a birdhouse.

Jane KellermannMay 22, 2014

I like using the heavier threads for bobbin work, especially using “Candlelight Metallic Yarn” thread then adding some hot glue crystals for more “bling”…. that really makes a statement!!!!

Jane KellermannMay 22, 2014

I also like the pearl cotton but the “Candlelight Metallic Yarn” thread adds some bling then add more bling with a few hot glue crystals…..that really makes a statement!!!!

Judy GraczykMay 22, 2014

I purchased a second bobbin case just for bobbin work. This saves the regular bobbin tension without having to go back and recalibrate. I would love to see a piece of appliqué over the bobbin work background.

JoJackMay 22, 2014

I would like to do seasonal designed covers. One for each season, or holidays. I guess things get stale after looking at them to much

BJ MarleyMay 22, 2014

I want to try a combination of paper piecing and embroidery.

Dorothy DellMay 22, 2014

Two of my favorite quilting designs are “crazy quilts” and “flying geese”. I’d like to make a cover for my iPad using one of these designs – allover (crazy quilt) or a vertical strip down the front (flying geese) where you have the decorative stitching. Might also add a fancy antique button on the closure strap. This will make a nice replacement for the bubble wrap currently wrapped around my iPad.
I really enjoy reading your blog – watching your shows (thank you for making them so much more accessible) – and I’m also reading your book. Love it all…

Valerie BrownMay 22, 2014

I think using a heavy thread with the cover stitch or the chain stitch on my Ovation serger would also add dimension to the tablet cover. I’ve been experimenting with pearl cotton in the chain looper and am really pleased with the look.

Thanks, Nancy, for always helping us learn new techniques and for admitting that things don’t always go perfectly for you either.

nancybMay 22, 2014

paw prints and hearts are a great design to add ! and a name or two!

JenniferMay 22, 2014

This is gorgeous. I tried doing bobbin work in the past…but was never able to get anything but the straight stitch to work with it…nothing pretty or decorative like yours. How do you bypass the bobbin case tension?

Thanks for the tips!

Nancy ZiemanMay 22, 2014

Jennifer, do you have a drop in bobbin or a bobbin case? If you click on the video and watch online, you’ll see how to bypass the tension with a drop in bobbin. When I’ve used a bobbin case, I do not pass the thread through the traditional slot. There should be a large opening through which I lay the thread. Hope this helps.